It is getting to that time when people reflect over the past year or make forecasts for the year ahead. Many people are preparing to take breaks, go on vacation or make the annual migration south, so it is time for my annual wrap up as well.

Over the past year, I have been just about as prolific in my writing on this blog with 102 posts in 2016, compared with 103 in 2015 and 109 in 2014, somewhat lower than the 132 posts I wrote in 2013. I continue to spend more time on Twitter [follow me: @mark_goldberg] and, now as the grandfather to two adorable little boys, I have to admit that I am doing my best to spend more time focused on other important matters.

My wish list for 2017 includes getting the federal government to demonstrate support for a program to increase the adoption of computers and broadband in low income households with school-aged children. Unfortunately, successive governments have continued to follow the same approach of distributing money toward expanding broadband supply, getting ever diminishing returns on their expenditures. In the meantime, hundreds of thousands of low income households continue to be without computers in Canada’s largest cities. Kids can’t do homework and compete if they don’t have access to a connected computer at home.

Rogers and TELUS launched programs on their own, but both would have benefited from the Federal Government assisting in identifying which households would benefit the most. It doesn’t take money, just leadership. It is my hope that government will soon recognize that broadband adoption rates are made up of a numerator (demand) and a denominator (supply); there is a lot of opportunity to be found in stimulating demand.

I look forward to writing about other carriers launching their own programs in the coming year.

While I am setting objectives for next year, I still wouldn’t mind losing 20 pounds, but I suspect my grandsons will appreciate having a soft place to rest when we take naps “watching the game” together on Sunday afternoons.

For 36 years, I have been part of the telecommunications sector, experiencing (and in some cases leading) dynamic changes that have made each day interesting. There are certain to be many more twists in the coming year. I look forward to continuing to engage with you and I hope that I will continue to provoke you to explore different perspectives on the sector in 2017.

Over the break, take a little time to check out my “innovations from telecom” series. Over the past 6 weeks (and I plan to continue again through January) each day I have been tweeting an innovation that emerged from the telecom sector that has impacted society. It is part of the run-up to The 2017 Canadian Telecom Summit (June 5-7, Toronto), which will be looking at “Competition, Investment and Innovation: Driving Canada’s Digital Future.”

Have a safe, healthy and peaceful holiday season.

What happens when successive Canadian governments and agencies fail to set out a coherent digital strategy? We end up with a Parliamentary Committee, The Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, issued a report earlier today that called for the Government to “consider broadening the mandate of Canada Post to include delivering critical digital communications infrastructure to rural Canadians.” Let that sink in for a minute.

Canada Post could play a pivotal role in providing the basis for a Canadian social network – authentication service, email and block chain authority for the benefit of Canadians.

Some of the discussion talked about using the postal buildings as “a small-scale business centre with highspeed Internet and all the technological tools that rural businesses, residents and students need.” That may be reasonable to supplement community internet hubs in public libraries. But there were members of Parliament who called for the post office to actually be charged with building “critical digital communications infrastructure to rural Canadians” and the Committee agreed. The committee said the Post Office could also “facilitate the trust network needed to authenticate identities on the Internet” and this resulted in a recommendation calling for the federal government to examine, with the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and the CRTC, “the possible delivery of broadband Internet and improved cellular service to rural Canada using Canada Post real estate to house servers and offer retail services to customers.” [Recommendation 43] Because in the eyes of these Parliamentarians, the only thing holding back universal broadband was a place to house servers and sales staff.

Two and a half years ago, I wrote “Canada’s digital future,” lamenting slow development of a national digital strategy and suggesting pretty basic ways to manage a national digital agenda: “Set clear objectives. Align activities with the achievement of those objectives. Stop doing things that are contrary to the objectives.”

Just before the election last year, I wrote “Voting for Canada’s digital future,” where, after reviewing all of the major party platforms, I observed that “they all disappoint from a digital perspective”.

Read the full report, the product of “consultations with Canadians. In addition to holding 5 meetings in Ottawa, the Committee held 22 public consultations in 21 different communities across Canada. The Committee also held electronic consultations, through which 5,000 Canadians and Canadian organizations shared their feedback.”

I am reminded of the line from The American President: “in the absence of genuine leadership, they’ll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They’re so thirsty for it they’ll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there’s no water, they’ll drink the sand.” In the absence of clear leadership on digital issues, you can see that Parliamentarians and Canadian citizens alike are searching for solutions. For years, successive governments have failed to enunciate a coherent strategy and as a result, we have such recommendations emerge from the Standing Committee on Operations and Estimates [OGGO] covering the kinds of issues that might have been more comfortably discussed in the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology [INDU].

Next week, the CRTC is scheduled to release its decision on its consultation on the Basic Service Obligation [TNC 2015-134]. We’ll see if it chooses to weigh in on rural broadband. Your comments, as always are welcome.

The Way Forward for Canada Post

As many readers know, in the late Spring I was asked “to conduct an analysis of the impacts and risks that the MTS acquisition [by BCE] may have for SaskTel.” My report was released in June.

SaskTel was asked to prepare a response to my report [pdf]. Its response [pdf] was released yesterday.

Here is a collection of media coverage:

• SaskTel admits risks of Bell/MTS deal present “new unique challenge” | Cartt.ca
• SaskTel eyes BCE purchase of MTS warily, fears for future | The Globe and Mail
• SaskTel says it has plans to deal with risks posed by Bell takeover of MTS | Canadian Press
• SaskTel says risks of MTS-Bell deal are real | Regina Leader-Post
• SaskTel says it faces ‘new unique challenge’ if Bell-MTS deal approved | Financial Post

Before many of us take a break for the holidays, I wanted to let you know that registrations are now open for The 2017 Canadian Telecom Summit, taking place June 5 – 7, 2017 in Toronto.

Visit the conference website often to see the program as it continues to develop.

Now in its 16th year, The Canadian Telecom Summit is Canada’s leading ICT event, attracting the most influential people who shape the future direction of communications and information technology in Canada.

For 3 full days, The Canadian Telecom Summit delivers thought provoking presentations from the prime shapers of the industry. This is your chance to hear from and talk with them in both a structured atmosphere of frank discussion and high-octane idea exchange and schmooze in a more relaxed social setting of genial conversation.

Covering the entire industry
Once again, you will have the opportunity to interact with executives of leading service providers, equipment suppliers, applications developers, policy makers, regulators and major customers.

In-depth panels will examine:

• Cyber Security;
• Big Data & Analytics;
• Customer Experience Management;
• Disruptive Innovation: Driving Canada’s Digital Future;
• Future of Business Communications: Innovative, Unified & Collaborative;
• Network Innovation & Service Delivery;
• Advanced Mobility: innovation & disruption in services, devices and apps
• and of course, the not-to-be-missed Regulatory Blockbuster.

The “Canadian Telecommunications Employer of Choice” and the “Top Canadian Telecom CEO” award programs are now accepting applications. Don’t miss your opportunity to get recognized as one of the best in the industry. For more information visit the awards website, or call Jeff at +1.416.886.7007.

Plan to attend
If your interests lie in the Telecommunications, IT or Broadcasting sectors, you need to attend The 2017 Canadian Telecom Summit. Mark the dates on your calendar: June 5 – 7, 2017.

Take advantage of early bird registration rates by reserving your place now.

See you at The 2017 Canadian Telecom Summit!

It is a competitive world out there. Regardless of free trade agreements, the digital economy largely transcends international borders, subject of course to legal bounds [an interesting case on that matter – Google vs Equustek Solutions – is being heard today by the Supreme Court of Canada]. Applications generated by coders anywhere in the world are made available and sold worldwide, bypassing border security and customs agents without any delays or protective tariffs.

That raises a number of questions that policy makers and business leaders should be considering:

• What kinds of communications infrastructure is needed to provide Canadians with a platform to excel in a global digital economy?
• What are the characteristics of a policy framework that fosters the development of innovative new applications and technologies to deploy in Canada and offer around the world?
• What conditions are needed to encourage investment of capital and the availability of competitive communications services to Canadian consumers and businesses, regardless of where they are located?
• How can low income Canadians participate in a more inclusive digital future?
• How can communications services and applications be refined and developed with a goal for competitors to offer choice and differentiated services to all Canadians?

What will be the impact on Canada from a transition in US communications regulatory policy as the FCC transitions to the new administration? See Hal Singer’s post, “Wondering What A Trump FCC Might Look Like? Here’s A Preview“. Will Canadian consumers have access to the same types of offers as their neighbours to the south? Will Canadian businesses, whether incumbents or entrepreneurs, be able to innovate and launch new capabilities as well? What opportunities will the creative community find?

Registrations are now open for The 2017 Canadian Telecom Summit, taking place June 5-7 in Toronto. We’ll explore all of these issues and more.